Falling to the Side
by Arlia
Summary: (So bad at these!) [Starting with more later chapters] Ashton meets up with an old friend, but her life's darker, and there have been more than one attempt on Ashton's life and hers. (again, late chapters! so bad at summaries!) .


(~) Okay. This is pretty much my first and only SO2 fan fic. I haven't absorbed any more information than is in the game. Please don't flame, I'm just trying to have a little fun.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I do not own Star Ocean or any of the characters.

**__**

Falling to the Side

A "Star Ocean: The Second Story" Fan Fiction By

****

Raven Usher

Part 1. The Tavern

"Lacour's so big!" Rena gasped, passing through the archway of the city.

"Rena, darling, you really should get out more often!" Celine exclaimed, laughing to herself.

Rena's cheeks flushed and she averted her gaze a little. 

"In her defense, Lacour is larger than any other city on Cross or the rest of this continent," Ashton said, pushing strands of his dark hair away from his face.

"Like you would know," scoffed Gyro.

"I _would_ know!" Ashton snapped at the dragon on his back. 

"Don't get angry," Ururun said calmly.

"I'd say I have every right," muttered Ashton irritably towards the second dragon.

Ashton paused when he realized the rest of the party was staring at him. He dug his fingernails into the hilt of one of his swords nervously. "It's nothing important… just… bickering again."

"Darling, it's really not healthy. Talking to yourself like that…" Celine murmured, her eyes sweeping over the passerby's that had stared at Ashton.

"I'm not talking to myself!" he growled. "I can understand what they're saying! Don't you get it!? How many times to I have to tell you?!"

"What did I say about getting angry?" Ururun said in his ear.

"Don't talk to me! You just make me look crazy, both of you!" he grunted at the two dragons on his back, trying to swat at them over his shoulder.

"Ashton…" Rena said softly. "we know that you can understand what they say and we can't. It makes sense… they do hang around on _your_ shoulders. We understand."

"She doesn't!" he said, jabbing his finger at Celine.

Claude lowered Ashton's hand. "What's wrong with you? I've never seen you worked up like this."  
The dark-haired man sighed, his shoulders sagging. "I know… and I'm sorry. It's just…" He paused, then looked back at Claude, angry again. "It's all your fault I'm stuck with them!"

"Ashton… calm down," Rena said in a low tone. "Claude's right, you're not normally like this… so bitter."

"Try being stuck with these two. It's enough to drive any man crazy," he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I'm just… I dunno… Maybe I just need to sleep."

Claude grinned a bit and patted Ashton heartily on the shoulder, careful to avoid the dragons. "Don't worry so much. Everything will be fine. Now, before we do anything else we should probably split up and see if anyone can tell us something about the Sorcery Globe."

"Splendid idea, Claude, darling. There are people here from all over Expel for the tournament," Celine pointed out.

"We'll meet back here in two hours," Claude said, before turning away to go off on his own.

Ashton turned away from the others, bowing his head. He didn't know why he felt so put off, it wasn't just the dragons. He cursed his bad luck. He'd always considered himself unlucky but… this? He shifted his shoulders, hoping to coax the dragons into speaking.

"You guys are awfully quiet," he mumbled, his lips barely moving so that people on the streets wouldn't think him crazy and talking to himself.

"You said you didn't want us to talk to you, so we won't," Ururun retorted.

"Fine," Ashton barked. "Fine, I don't need you two passing me off as a mad man. Stay quiet for all I care!"

_What's wrong with me?_ he thought. _Why am I being so surly? Just don't think too much about it, Ashton, don't think about it._ When Ashton raised his head again, he narrowly missed walking headlong into a man that easily stood two heads taller than him.

"Watch where you're going!"

"Sorry," Ashton muttered. Then remembering why he was off on his own he spotted a tavern. _There! I'm sure I can find someone there who knows about the Sorcery Globe… I'm sure I could find a nice, stiff drink too._ He made his way into the crowded tavern, careful to not meet anyone's eyes, for many worked towards him. Even in Lacour, a man with two dragons on his back was a novel sight. Ashton worked his way over to the bar, and as unusual as he was, he couldn't quite get the bartender's attention.

"You look like you're too young to be drinking."

Ashton glanced over at a man sitting on a stool. He had long, silver hair, and a hard, cold stare that seemed fixated on the wall across for him. "What do you care?" he muttered.

"I don't." The man replied, taking a sip of his drink.

"You here for the tournament?" Ashton asked.

The man groaned. "I make one little comment, and I get punished for it." He then looked at Ashton. "Yeah, I'm here for the tournament. What difference does it make to you?"

"Well, none really," he said. "But I was wondering if you would happen to know anything about the Sorcery Globe?"

The man had raised his drink half way to his lips before pausing. "You're investigating the Sorcery Globe."

Ashton nodded. The man stood up suddenly, making Ashton take a step back.

"What's your name?" the man demanded.

"Ashton… Ashton Anchors," he replied, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. In his short life, Ashton had found himself a couple of enemies and knew not to take chances. "Who are you?"

"What difference does it make to you?" the other man grunted.

"You know my name, I have a right to know yours!" he stated frankly.

"Dias Flac," he retorted softly. "That's all you ever need to know." 

Ashton looked down thoughtfully. He knew he had heard that name before, but he couldn't think where. He shook his head, trying to recall where he had heard it, but his mind didn't seem to be working. Before he had a chance the man began walking to the door.

"Watch your back, Anchors." He paused to get a better look at the dragons. "But I suppose you have someone to do that for you."

Ashton pushed against the bar with the palms of his hands, bowing his head. "Where have I heard that name before!?"

"Rena's friend from Arlia," Gyro whispered into his ear. 

"Damnit! Why didn't you say something!" Ashton snapped a bit too loudly.

"We're not talking to him!" Ururun hissed at the other. 

"Oh… right."

He groaned, moving to a corner of the tavern and plopping down in a chair. He rested his head in his hands, sighing to himself. Nothing seemed to go the way he wanted it. He did still feel that he deserved some kind of reward from the people in Salva. After all, he did exorcise the dragons from the mines… even if he was now stuck with them.

"Hey good looking, who's your friend?"

Ashton looked up suddenly to see someone stroking Gyro, who seemed to be enjoying the attention. He rolled his eyes at the young woman, then replaced his head in his hands.

"What's the matter with you? Never seen a dragon before?" he growled.

"Hardly," she said promptly, lowering her hand. "I've seen many dragons. Probably more than you."

"You may have seen more dragons, but believe me, I've been around them more frequently," came Ashton's flat reply. There was a short pause when he raised his eyes to look at her. "Did you come over here for a reason."

"Actually," she started, taking a seat across from Ashton at the table. "I came to talk business with you."

"Whatever you're selling, I ain't buying," he said immediately, not interested whatsoever in hearing a sales pitch. He should have known that being in a big city like Lacour, and around tournament time, there were bound to be people trying to sell.

The young woman cocked in eyebrow at his hasty manner in replying. "Are you sure? I think it could be quite helpful."

"I don't want to hear it," Ashton stated finally.

"What if I told you I could get those dragons off your back?" she said quickly, before he could interrupt her.

Ashton blinked in disbelief. He laughed faintly at the incredulous proposal. "Oh yes, and how do you plan to do that?"

"Why killing them of course," she stated.

He could feel Gyro and Ururun moving nervously behind him, but he simply waved his hand in dismissal. "Sorry, but it's not that easy. I'm afraid your method of removing these dragons is a tad bit primitive. I don't need two dragons on my back, but I _definitely_ don't need two _dead_ dragons on my back. It's more complicated than it looks."

She sighed, looking down at her hands which were folded in front of her on the table. "You're right… I'm sorry. I was just trying to make a fol or two."

Ashton paused for a moment, tracing the lines and marks on the table with his fingers. But still the girl sat quietly, staring at her hands. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm sure you had good intentions but it's not that easy."

She raised her head to look at him and smiled, though her eyes were laced with tears. "It's not your fault. I-I've just been having trouble…"

Ashton felt his heart start to melt as he watched her. He cleared his throat uncomfortably then laid his hands on hers, hoping that she wouldn't start a scene. "It's okay…Er. What did you say your name was?"

"I didn't give it…" She took a moment to hastily wipe the tears from her eyes before they had the chance to fall. "Damn allergies," she muttered angrily.

"Do you need help?" Ashton offered, suddenly not feeling as rude and angry as he had been.

"No," she replied flatly. "I need money."

Ashton narrowed his eyes briefly. "Are you trying to con me?"

"I don't need to take this from some freak with dragons on his back!" she shouted, clearly offended.

"I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "I'm sorry, I really am. But you can't be too careful." He followed her gaze toward her hands where a ring in the shape of a dragon wrapped around her finger. He then turned his watch to where a dragon pendant, made in a similar manner. "If you need money so much… why don't you sell those?"

The young woman looked down at the pieces of jewelry and then back Ashton with a devastated, partially hurt, look. "I-I would never sell these. Never. Never. Never!" she cried shaking her head, closing her blue eyes. 

"Why not?"

She opened her eyes to give Ashton a sarcastic, drawling look. "You wouldn't understand, now would you?"

"Family heirlooms, I suppose, then," he said softly, as if he had not heard her.

Her face softened slightly and smiled. "My name's Cora Drenis."

"I'm Ashton Anchors," he said, a bit more comfortable with revealing his name to this girl rather than the cold swordsman. Suddenly, his eyes widened slightly. "D-Did you say Drenis?"

"That right," she said a bit perplexed, nodding her head. 

"The Drenis Family… The Dragon Slayers… You're a Drenis?" Ashton stammered. 

"Me and my brother and sister are the last of the Drenis family, you see." There was a short pause. "W-We lived in Clik. But… after what happened. Well, many of our relatives weren't as lucky as us."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that…" Ashton replied softly, his eyes faltering.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Cora said softly. Presently she began to stand, but Ashton reached over the table to grab her wrist, so quickly that the table nearly fell over. 

"Wait, where are you going?" 

Cora pulled her wrist away from him, feeling slightly irritated. "I'm going to try and make some money… Where do you think?"

Ashton could hear the dragons snickering behind him. "I-I'd like to be of some help."

"There's nothing you can do," she snapped. With that, she stormed out of the tavern, leaving Ashton feeling slightly bewildered.

"Is that what I'm like?" he murmured, the question directed to Gyro and Ururun.

"You? Nooooo," Ururun said. "You're _much_ worse."

"If you saw yourself when someone tried to offer you help, I don't think you'd like what you saw," added Gyro.

"What do you mean?" Ashton asked in a quiet voice. "When has anyone offered me help?"

"All the time," Ururun stated. "As a matter of fact, all you seem to do is refuse help."

"That's just not true," the dark-haired fighter said, his voice rising slightly. 

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"No it isn't.  
"Is to."

"No it's-."

"Is too, is too, is too, times infinity."

…

"Is not."

"Two to one, we win. Nyah!"

"You two are impossible," Ashton muttered under his breath, standing up and brushing his way out of the tavern as well.


End file.
